The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1887-04-29
INTERSTATE COMMERCE
Important Rulings and oonclus-
iono a. The Communion.
MISTAKES Neess.s Corrscted-rhs Commits
go Psvsrssns - Act Uatn con-
p1ninos that ths I.aw uaa Deen
vlolatea Are Preeented-

WASHINGTON, April l&-The Interstate
Commission sent today 70 several rail-
roads. whose ofacials have applied for -
lief against the short-haul provision Of tho
Law without making satisfactory show
ing OF their grievances, letters calling ~
tcntion TO The fact that before the COM
mission can oct upon petitions they must
in al cases Be properly vertned- Ino
letters also set forth that
The Law under which We are acting lays
down general law. which = presumably JUST
fncts are proven which make particular case
clearly exceptional These should BE- shown ~
the petition which Il presented for relief and
che commission. before Il can grant tho relief.
must satisfy itself on investigation that the
f.cas are - stated and that they render tho
ordinary operation OF ne law Oppressive . e
extent that warrants IN exception being made
N pctitioner's favor The
commission does not grant general suspension
a 70 any road but gives relief only - 70 the
franc between specified points.
lSignedl T. ~ COOLEY. Chairman
The commission to-day also made public
= document which, they state, 10 the most
important yet issued By them, bearing on
certain clauses Of the Interstate law.
The document while generally ap.
plicable, Il In reply TO petitions OF
the OtNGI "a Ak8AtWef $500 -
and the Traders and Travellers
Union. Those associations ask: Are
railway companies prohibited from issu-
ing free transportation to the immediate
families OF employees Of their own rail-
WAYS: from issuing free or reduced trans
portation 70 ofncers Of an association
composed exclusively Of railway en-
ploves. while those officers are tempo
rariiy out q railway service and ex-
clusivcly employed BY those associationsi
iay railway companies issue passes 70
employees OF other roads on application
Of the employees, or must such applica-
ton come from the oficer OF the company
BY which be il Employed May railway
companies issue free or reduced trans
portation to those who make railway SER
vice their business or trade, while tenn
pcrnrily outof emp loyment and In search
81 situationsl May railway companies
provide free transportation for delegates
10 the annual conventions Of an associa'
ton composed exclusively Of railway en-
moves, including those who may be tenn
porarily out OF employment - well q
members Of the immediate families Of
delegatesi
The application on behalf Of the Traders
ard Travellers Union states the system
under which an additional allowance o.
free baggage has been heretofore carried
by commercial travellers. subject to writ
ten agreement for registry and indemni
dcation. which system the commission \
requested to examine carefully .and ad
vlse Us IL there Is any reason why . rail
road company desiring 70 do 80 should no
enter into such an arrangement 70 grant
under stated terms an increased allow
ance Of free baggager
rk~~. go ,,critions 40 commemorative
OF . large number Of similar application
which have been made to the commission
and have been selected simply becaus
they indicate the general character OF al
and enable the commission to annount
certain conclu sions to which IL has arrive
rcspectinQ its Jurisdiction and it, power
II Is obvious from the tenor OF sue
applications that the impression
prevalent that this commission has pows
10 construe, interpret and apply the 10
BY preliminary Judgment We are CO.
tinually appealed TO for decisions II .
vance as TO whether common carrier
said to be willing to adopt certain methot
% dealing with respect 70 mfer-Sta
commerce, can 90 90 without suo1ectlI
themselves TO the penalties announce
bv the statute for violations Of its pr
yisions-
A careful reading Of LIE ssact 70 reg
late commerce." under which his col
mission ID organized, will show that
jurisdiction has been given Us TO answ
ouestions like those under consideratio
IL "a obvious that applications like tho
a the conductors and Traders and Ira
cIcrn, Union have no relation whatever
the duties imposed upon us BY section
and this il the only section Of the Il
which the commission has power TO q
pend or relax.
sction 13 authorizes complaints 70
commission and confers jurisdiction
entertain the same Itprovides that ''a
person, etc. complaining Of any thi
done or omitted TO be done BY comm
carrier subject TO the provisions Of 7
act. in contravention OF the provisi'
thereof. NAV apply to said commission
petition. which shall briefly state
factsr: but neither the railway 9
ducfors nor the Traders and Travels
Union complain that any common carr
has violated the law. On the contr
they both aver that the railway 9
panies do not violate the
and do not wish to. II railway 2
many should issue Q pass TO . candid
and his family TO attend the approach
convention. or should transport "a
hundred pounds Of baggage free 4
commercial traveller under the regi'
and indemnity system, and some per
feeling aggrievcd, should make comps
Of unjust discrimination, II would the
proper for the comm ission 70 enter
the question whether such conduct
or was not in violation Of the law, o.
%. whether Il was or was not
IN the exceptions stated IN
ton q. Complaints may also
presented II the charges made BY the
riers arc not considered reasonable
3ust, but until questions Of this kind
before ~ In the way clearly indicate
the statute, Il would BE- worse than
less Tor 10 70 express opinions Or Civ
vice. We should not only lay ours
Justly open 70 the charge Of assumin
warranted authority, but should AIS
great risk Of involving al concern'
what NE courts might afterward no
b breaches Of the law, BY hasty IN
considered conclusions, based upo
parto statements and arguments
Congress- has not taken the ma
ment Of the railroads out Of tho hat
the railroad companies. Il has .
establis he'd certain general principb
der which interstate c0mmorco a.